1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to instruments for performing a total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) procedure. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to patient-specific instruments for use in a total ankle arthroplasty procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) procedure may be performed to repair the diseased or damaged bone and/or cartilage of an ankle joint. In the procedure, a surgeon may use standard instruments to prepare the damaged joint for receiving an orthopedic prosthesis set.
For example, during a total ankle arthroplasty procedure, the surgeon may resect and/or ream the distal tibia to prepare the distal tibia for receiving a distal tibial prosthesis, and may also resect and/or ream the talus to prepare the talus for receiving a talar prosthesis. The distal tibial prosthesis typically includes an articulating surface that may be designed to articulate with respect to the talar prosthesis.
Known TAA procedures have required relatively complex instrumentation, including an alignment foot brace. Use of such a foot brace requires a bore to be drilled through the base of the heel bone, which extends completely through the heel and the talus and into the distal tibia. This bore is used to locate a referencing rod to which an instrument set is keyed, with the instrument set including a relatively large number of components, such as alignment guides and cut guides which interface with the referencing rod and/or the foot brace.